Fairy tales have a constant and uniform influence throughout the lives of individuals around the globe. They play a crucial role in shaping member’s ideologies, tastes, and mannerisms of a particular society. Fairy tales shape the behaviors and morals of all age groups, and generally have an everlasting influence. The majority of fairy tales address a central conflict that eventually is corrected to comply with the norms of society. Interestingly, most fairy tale societies are depicted as a model of righteousness, which includes characters that either conform to the model, or not. Those that don’t conform are commonly labeled as villains. According to Edwards and Klosa, this type of good versus evil dichotomy distracts the perspectives of audience …show more content…
members from what is truly right or wrong (34-35). For instance, what if the fairy tale society is not actually as righteous as depicted to be? What if the supposed villain is standing up for what is just in the midst of corruption? Should they still be considered a villain? In the unconventional fairy tale novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Gregory Maguire, argues against the psychological concept of people being innately good or bad by showing that the Wicked Witch of the West was shaped by her predetermined wicked perceptions and circumstances to carry out evil, yet, just actions for the greater good of others. From birth, Elphaba faced scrutiny based on her odd physical characteristics and was automatically labeled as bad.
Upon seeing Elphaba as an infant, the maid assisting Melena’s birth derogatorily states, “ ‘A little green pat of butter. Why don’t we kill it? You know what people will say’ ”(Maguire 27). Elphaba is instantly considered bad based on the color of her green skin rather than by her true character. It seems as though she was never given a fair chance to assuage her peer’s negative perception of her. While, the action of Elphaba biting off her maid’s finger provides readers with a strong reason to believe that evil is born, not bred. Yet, as a baby, she is wrongly accused of understanding the severe consequences of her violent actions. According to John Locke’s theory of Tabula Rasa, humans are born with an empty mind that is eventually filled and shaped by their surrounding environment (“Tabula rasa”). Therefore, Elphaba wouldn’t have been able to conceptualize or decipher between good and evil since she was recently conceived at the time. Maguire shows his audience that Elphaba was actually born a “blank slate” before assuming her role as the Wicked Witch of the West. By doing so, audience members will begin to understand what exactly sparked Elphaba’s misunderstood wicked nature, rather than assume she was born that …show more content…
way. Additionally, the maid foreshadows the prejudice and bullying Elphaba will face throughout her life, which contributes to her transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba’s green skin is a symbol of alienation and target of mockery among her peers. Elphaba is constantly treated as a second-class citizen and even develops insecurities about her appearance. For instance, Elphaba states, “I wouldn’t mind leaving myself behind if I could, but I don’t know the way out” (Maguire 100). This sadly shows that she doesn’t want to be herself anymore due to constant alienation and bullying. Also, she is fully aware that she is different in a negative way and has a strong desire to become normal. The society of Oz, like modern society today, displays colorism, a specific form of discrimination, which is associated with differences in treatment based on one’s skin color (Nittle). Nittle goes on to reveal modern day examples of colorisms, such as, how lighter colored African American women are perceived as more physically attractive than their darker counterparts. This shows that dark skin, instead of green, is socially considered negative or ugly in modern society. Therefore, Maguire addresses contemporary concerns related to race and social bias through Elphaba’s character, and suggests that her physical features contributed to the formulation of negative perceptions by her peers. Maguire’s main point is that green skin color and other odd features should not be correlated to being labeled as evil or ugly. Despite Elphaba’s rough childhood, she eventually tries to put her differences aside by engrossing herself with Animal rights during her enrollment at Shiz University. Having been derogatorily compared to animals such as lizards and frogs, it is evident that she feels a close connection to the mistreated Animals. The Animal Banns are set in place by the Wizard of Oz who seeks to prevent the upward social mobility of Animals due to their physical differences compared to humans. Elphaba begins to work for, Dr. Dillamond, also an Animal, and is determined to scientifically prove that differences do not exist between Animals and humans. Elphaba shows compassion for the oppressed Animals and hopes to reverse the Animal Banns with scientific evidence. Elphaba naively believes that the Wizard is a rational man of power, and will redeem his wrong actions by overturning the Banns (Maguire 143). Yet, Elphaba still pursues what she believes is right, even though, she is the minority facing the greater majority of corrupted citizens. Again, Maguire depicts Elphaba in a world where good is misled and bad is misconceived. Voltaire, a French historian and philosopher during the Enlightenment period, pointed out the dangerous risk of challenging the supremacy of established authorities for being wrong, even if the deifier’s claims are indeed right. In Wicked, the Wizard is the established authority who has the power over the majority of people. According to the authors of The Daily Take Team, in all authoritarian societies that have existed throughout history, the transformation of a dictatorship was sparked when authority figures were worshiped and treated superior to normal citizens ("We Shouldn't Blindly Worship Authority Figures"). Therefore, the Wizard’s oppressive laws towards Animals can persuade readers to believe that he is a dictator. In addition, the Wizard’s Animal Banns closely resembles Hitler’s Nuremburg Laws, which restricted the rights of Jewish citizens within early-mid twentieth century Germany. Similar to how Hitler targeted Jews, Animals can be considered the Wizard’s scapegoats that he used to garner the support and adoration of his citizens. Therefore, those who do not support the Wizard’s anti-Semitic views were considered rebels and labeled as a dangerous threat to his power. Yet, it is unclear who is really right or wrong. To the citizens within Wicked, the Wizard is looked up to and respected as an almighty figure of authority, even though he imposes discriminatory laws against minorities. Maguire show the importance of identifying the definer by considering and analyzing the ethics within the central conflict between the Wizard and Elphaba. This proves that the concept of evil is not innate, but rather justified and defined by those in power. Eventually, through the death of her lover, Fiyero, and failing as an Animal activist, Elphaba is further pushed to reject the corrupt society of Oz and completely loses interest in molding into a normal citizen. Thereby, readers could interpret Elphaba’s actions of cutting herself off from society as a metamorphosis into her predetermined wicked character. Yet, the level of Elphaba’s wicked transformation can be questioned during her failed attempt at killing Madame Morrible. Elphaba instinctively paused when a group of innocent school children blocked her opportunity of attack. Surly, if Elphaba was inherently wicked, then taking the lives of innocent people would not have prevented her from carrying out her assassination. Remorse and guilt are displayed by Elphaba’s hesitation, which shows that she still possessed a good conscious. Also, she was still able to think rationally instead of letting her emotions control her. Again, Maguire clearly illustrates Elphaba as a complex character who walks a fine line between good and bad. He contradicts reader’s predetermined beliefs of Elphaba’s wicked nature, by showing her empathy towards the innocent school children, despite being bloodthirsty. Moreover, Elphaba finally returns to partake in another assassination attempt on Madame Morrible.
Elphaba has now taken justice into her own hands and seeks to eliminate the powers that are the sources of injustice within Oz. Therefore, the question of whether killing for just reasons is good or bad arises. According to legal expert, Thomson Reuters, killing in defense of another victim is a justifiable action within the United States of America, and should not result in punishment. While, Elphaba’s intentions to assassinate both Madame Morrible and the Wizard can be seen as evil deeds, they also can be seen as legitimate aims to defend those who face oppression. Readers clearly see that Elphaba becomes consumed by vengeful desires that are actually for the greater good of citizens within Oz. In addition, Elphaba’s attempts to reason with authority were, initially, all nonviolent in form. She, first, tried to reason with the Wizard to uplift the Animal Banns, explaining the horrible pain and suffering they were causing innocent Animals. However, after she was rudely ignored and ridiculed for challenging the commanding views of authority, she aimed to physically eliminate the corrupt figures in power. Elphaba even defines the wizard as bad, allowing readers to understand the reasoning behind her superficial evil motives. In a way, Elphaba’s character resembles a vigilante who self-appoints herself to assume the role of law enforcement due to the absence of legal authority in
her society. Maguire continues to illustrate Elphaba carrying out necessary evils as moral, since they are for the greater good of others.
Everyone remembers the nasty villains that terrorize the happy people in fairy tales. Indeed, many of these fairy tales are defined by their clearly defined good and bad archetypes, using clichéd physical stereotypes. What is noteworthy is that these fairy tales are predominately either old themselves or based on stories of antiquity. Modern stories and epics do not offer these clear definitions; they force the reader to continually redefine the definitions of morality to the hero that is not fully good and the villain that is not so despicable. From Dante’s Inferno, through the winding mental visions in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, spiraling through the labyrinth in Kafka’s The Trial, and culminating in Joyce’s abstract realization of morality in “The Dead,” authors grapple with this development. In the literary progression to the modern world, the increasing abstraction of evil from its classic archetype to a foreign, supernatural entity without bounds or cure is strongly suggestive of the pugnacious assault on individualism in the face of literature’s dualistic, thematically oligopolistic heritage.
The House of The Spirits by Isabel Allende masterfully incorporates complex characters and intricate plots to create an unforgettable spectacle of familial relationships, femininity, and political strife. The story develops over three generations of the De Valle/Trueba family allowing for relationships to be made between an array of characters. Esteban Trueba, a central figure in the story, is defined through characteristics conveyed in his treatment of Alba de Satigny and Esteban García. With the establishment of Alba and Esteban García’s interactions, Allende also makes a simple but crucial distinction between the characters which, in turn, leads to a fuller understanding about the nature of forgiveness and resentment.
In John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden”, the author continuously brings up the theory of man always at war with good and evil, and ultimately having to choose which side they are on. As humans, uncertainty and confusion are two main factors to our indecisiveness. Nor is it easy when we are being engulfed by conflicting pathways and influences of others. In “East of Eden” the complex character of Cal Trask is pulled by two conflicting directions. He battles his evil ancestry, and yet tries to compete with the goodness of his perfect brother, Aaron. These influences exemplify Steinbeck’s message of the struggle between good and evil being recurring theme throughout human history.
Elmo is a fiction character. He is amazing. He’s red, he’s furry, and he’s loud.
In “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck parallels between the boys, Adam, and Cyrus are noticed. The parallel most apparent to me is how Cal and Aron are extremely similar to Charles and Adam in aspect that they seem to have to complete opposite personalities. Cal and Charles being the ones who have a darker side to them and also being the sibling that most people don’t understand, while Aron and Adam are loved by everyone and seemed to be more cared for. Also, I noticed that Cyrus made up his own fantasy of being in the most important wars and telling others that he was an expert, when in reality he had created his own war life through what he read in books and had only been in service for a few months, yet believed his made-up experiences to be true. In the same way Adam found Cathy and made up his fairytale how he
Throughout history it is known that fairy tales were written to teach children lessons about life in a way they could understand and that is fun and unique. Authors of fairy tales put simple lessons into the stories so the children could understand them easily while reading. Whether this be a lesson to be nice to all people, like in Cinderella, or to not judge someone by their appearance, like in Donkey Skin, both by Charles Perrault. Each fairytale has a moral that can be found throughout reading the stories that teach children right from wrong while letting them use their imaginations to discover that moral. The good and the bad lets them express their thoughts openly, rather it be their negative thoughts through the villian or their
Fairy tales portray wonderful, elaborate, and colorful worlds as well as chilling, frightening, dark worlds in which ugly beasts are transformed into princes and evil persons are turned to stones and good persons back to flesh (Guroian). Fairytales have long been a part of our world and have taken several forms ranging from simple bedtime stories to intricate plays, musicals, and movies. However, these seemingly simple stories are about much more than pixie dust and poisoned apples. One could compare fairytales to the new Chef Boyardee; Chef Boyardee hides vegetables in its ravioli while fairytales hide society’s morals and many life lessons in these outwardly simple children stories. Because of this fairytales have long been instruments used to instruct children on the morals of their culture. They use stories to teach children that the rude and cruel do not succeed in life in the long run. They teach children that they should strive to be kind, caring, and giving like the longsuffering protagonists of the fairytale stories. Also, they teach that good does ultimately defeat evil. Fairy tales are not just simple bedtime stories; they have long been introducing cultural moral values into young children.
In Hecuba, the main character, Hecuba, is first seen as an extremely passive character, whose peers push her around. However, after the deaths of her children, her world view changes. Once these murders take place, she becomes an active character, no longer letting the world take advantage of her. In this essay I will analyze how the deaths of Polydorus and Polyxena were what caused Hecuba to no longer be a passive character, but an active character who takes care of her own issues.
When Edward walks in, the narrator says, “anxious was she, for his sake and her own, to do it well, that she forced herself, after a moment’s recollection, to welcome him, with a look and manner that were almost easy, and almost open; and another struggle, another effort still improved them” (181). This is an embarrassing and uncomfortable situation, but Elinor, only after a moment, is able to analyze the situation, recover herself and attempt to make the circumstance as bearable as possible. She is able to accomplish this because she has self-control. She does not crash under pressure or act unruly no matter how brokenhearted she is. When put in similar a predicament Elinor’s sense allows her to regulate the situation and is therefore deemed
Good people can be induced, and seduced into committing evil acts. Evil is destructive and causes harm to both those whom embrace it, and the victims. William Shakespeare shows evil through his characters in Macbeth. Therefore, evil is evident in Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and the Witches.
During the 19th century, Grimm’s fairytales were strongly disapproved of due to harsh, gruesome details and plots. One American educator from 1885 stated, “The folktales mirror all too loyally the entire medieval worldview and culture with all its stark prejudice, its crudeness and barbarities.” As childre...
Those who triumph over hardships emerge morally superior to others. John Steinbeck enforced this in his novel East of Eden, when great injustice occurred to a certain child in each generation of the Trask family. These young boys continually struggled for their father’s affection, which was typically to no avail. Ironically, these social outcasts grew in character and became morally just, contrary to their weak-minded counterparts.
Though Beauty and the Beast is a popular tale of American culture, few actually see the deep moral values in the story. Not all of the morals are on the surface, in fact very few are. People have to look beneath the surface for many of the lessons. These lessons are meant for people to reflect upon and better themselves. While the surface story serves for entertainment, fairy tales also provide everlasting lessons.
Fairy Tales have been around for generations and generations. Our parents have told us these stories and we will eventually pass them down to ours. In this time of age the most common fairytales are Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and The Beast and many more. Children idolize their favorite character and pretend to be them by mimicking everything they do in the stories. The character’s behavior is what is viewed as appropriate in society. These fairy tales show a girl and a boy fall in love and live “happily ever after”. The tales in many people’s eyes resemble a dream life that they would want to have of their own. However, have you ever really looked at what makes up a fairy tale? Many things are unrealistic but the most unflattering aspect of these tales is how women are depicted in them. Fairy tales give an unrealistic view to how women should look and behave in real life.
In a society unbridled with double standards and set views about women, one may wonder the origins of such beliefs. It might come as a surprise that these ideals and standards are embedded and have been for centuries in the beloved fairy tales we enjoyed reading as kids. In her analytical essay, “To Spin a Yarn: The Female Voice in Folklore and Fairy Tales”, Karen Rowe argues that fairy tales present “cultural norms which exalt passivity, dependency, and self-sacrifice as a female’s cardinal virtues.” Rowe presents an excellent point, which can be supported by versions of the cult classics, “Cinderella” and “Snow White”. Charles Perrault’s “ The Little Glass Slipper” and the Brothers Grimm’s “ Snow White” exemplify the beliefs that females are supposed to be docile, dependent on the male persona and willing to sacrifice themselves. In many cases, when strong female characters are presented they are always contradicting in these characteristics, thus labeled as villainous. Such is the case of the Cinderella’s stepsisters in Perrault’s “Cinderella” and the stepmother in the Brothers Grimm’s “Snow White.” These female characters face judgment and disapproval when they commit the same acts as male characters. With such messages rooted in our beloved fairy tales it is no wonder that society is rampant with these ideals about women and disapprove of women when they try to break free of this mold.